Lise Hand: Chilled Dail heats up at snow job on bailout

OH the weather outside is frightful, but the quagmire is so delightful. Indeed the climate outside Leinster House seems to reflect the frosty conditions inside the building these days -- a lot of wheel-spinning, drifting, digging-in against hostile elements and anxiety over what direction the next unexpected flying snowball will materialise.

OH the weather outside is frightful, but the quagmire is so delightful. Indeed the climate outside Leinster House seems to reflect the frosty conditions inside the building these days -- a lot of wheel-spinning, drifting, digging-in against hostile elements and anxiety over what direction the next unexpected flying snowball will materialise.

There were statements on the €85bn bailout in the Dail yesterday afternoon, and Finance Minister Brian Lenihan promptly tobogganed straight into the opposition in defence of the digout.

"There has been the usual barrage of criticism of the outcome accompanied by the personal abuse of those involved that has become commonplace in our debased public discourse. But none of the critics explains how we could have secured the funds we require at less cost to the State," he huffed.

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